Wick and base for votive candles and the like



G. DE VILLEMURE WICK AND BASE FOR VOTIVE CANDL File d Feb. 24, 19

Oct. 1, 1963 ETAL ES AND THE LIKE,

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PATENTAGENT ilnited rates Eatent fifice Edd-5,373 Patented Get. 1, 1963 Filed Feb. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 91,483 6 Claims. (Cl. 67-22) The present invention relates to candles and more particularly votive candles and has specific reference to a novel construction of the core of the wick and of the base for said candles.

In votive candles, a body of wax provided with a wick is disposed within a glass receptacle. During burning of the candle, the top layer of the candle melts and it frequently happens that the protruding wick tilts sideways causing the flame to come in contact with and break the glass of the receptacle. Different means have been tried to prevent this disadvantage, the most commonly used being a vu'ck the core of which is made of metal and is supported by a metal plate or base which is itself disposed in the bottom of the glass receptacle under the wax or candle body. In certain cases, the core of the wick is made of cellulose acetate which is a slow burning product and has suflicient rigidity. In all cases, there always remains the metal plate in the bottom of the glass receptacle, once the candle is burnt, or other objects which must be removed from the receptacle and must be cleaned because it seldom happens that the wax is completely burnt and that the bottom of the receptacle be free of all residue. In the case in which the wick core is made of cellulose acetate, said core melts and finally forms a boss or head of carbonized material at its upper end which does not burn completely and leaves a residue once the wax has burnt.

The general object of the present invention resides in the provision of a candle base and wick which can completely burn and will leave no residue in the receptacle while maintaining the Wick in upstanding position during the time the wax is burning and thereby prevent glass breakage.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a candle base and wick which are made of a highly combustible material leaving no residue in the receptacle whereby the latter can receive a new candle without having to clean said receptacle.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a wick and base assembled in a single unit for facilitating the manufacture of the votive candles.

The foregoing and other important objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-section of a votive candle provided with a wick and a base according to the invention, the wick being shown in partial section;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the assembly of a wick and base in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a plan section of the first embodiment;

FIGURE 4 is a plan section of a second embodiment; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan section of a third embodiment.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, reference numeral 1 indicates a wax body for the votive candle having a centrally located wick 2 and provided with a base 3 applied against the bottom face of the candle body 1. In accordance with the present invention, the base 3 and the core 4 of the wick 2 are made of a highly combustible substance. Core 4 is surrounded by strands 5 of cotton fiber as in conventional wicks.

Base 3 can have the form of a cross, as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3, or the form of a Y, as shown at 3' in FIG- URE 4, or the form of a rectangle as shown at 3" in FIG- URE 5, or any other desired shape.

In accordance with the present invention, base 3 and core 4 are made of a material which has a higher degree of combustibility than the Wax :of the candle and which contains a cellulose nitrate and more specifically guncotton the chief constituent of which is cellulose hexanitrate which is a highly combustible and even explosive product but the combustion rate of which is controlled by the addition of a carbohydrate such as saccharose or glucose and by the addition of camphor which not only decreases the combustion rate but also facilitates the molding of base 3 and of core 4. Moreover an oxidation agent is used preferably a nitrate of an alkali metal such as potassium or sodium nitrate.

The core 4 of the wick can have a circular or a noncircular cross-section such as a square, rectangular or other cross-section; this prevents the strands 5 from slipping along the core. Base 3 can be provided with spaced holes for assisting in its combustion.

The composition of core 4 and of base 3 has the following general formula, the percentages being by weight: 0% to 20% carbohydrate, 5% to 40% camphor, 1% to 15% of an alkali metal nitrate, the remaining portion being guncotton.

The following example gives a preferred composition for core 4, the percentages being by weight:

The following example gives a preferred composition for the base 3:

Percent Guncotton 60 Camphor 28 Sodium nitrate 12 Total It should be noted that it is generally unnecessary to add glucose or the like combustion retarding agent in the composition for the base 3 in order that said base may burn completely once the Wax of the body 1 has burnt.

The guncotton is first dissolved in a mixture of acetone and alcohol and the alkali metal nitrate is then added together with the glucose and camphor to constitute a paste which is thereafter molded in sheet form for the base 3 or is subjected to an extruding process or is molded for making the core 4. The mixture of solvents is thereafter evaporated and the product is left to cure and harden to finally have a consistence similar to that of celluloid. If the product is molded in sheet form, this sheet is cut to provide a base of shape 3, 3' or 3", before the product has reached its final state of hardness and becomes too friable. The sheet can also be used for making the core 4 which is diecut in the same manner. Core 4 and base 3 may have a thickness varying for example between 15 and 30 thousandths of an inch. Generally speaking, it is necessary to increase the camphor content when the thickness of the sheet is increased. As previously mentioned, camphor facilitates molding or extrusion. Once the product has been molded or extruded,

it is left to cure during a relatively long period of time, for example one month at a temperature of about 100 F. in order to permit evaporation of the camphor odor. Core .4 is then secured to base 3 by means of acetone or other solvent. The cotton strands are wound around the core 4 before or after gluing of the core to the base 3.

Core 4 has suificient rigidity for maintaining the wick in upstanding position during burning of the candle body 1; the core of the wick burns very easily down to the level of the molten wax but not below said level due to the absence of a sufiicient quantity of oxygen under the Wax. Once all the wax is burnt, base 3- becomes exposed to atmosphere and burns completely leaving no residue in the receptacle.

Due to the fact that in accordance with the present invention, base 3 as well as core 4 are made of a highly combustible material, the composition of which can be regulated to control the combustion rate, it is possible to provide a base as well as a core which will burn completely once the wax has been consumed, but in such manner that the flame will remain at the top of the burning candle.

For certain applications, a candle can be provided with only a wick made in accordance with the present invention and without base.

While preferred embodiments in accordance with the invention have been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wick for candles comprising a core and textile strands of combustible material surrounding said core, said core consisting of a composition comprising 1% to 20% of glucose, 5% to 40% of camphor, 1% to of an alkali metal nitrate and the remaining portion being guncotton, the percentages being by weight.

2. A wick for candles comprisinga core and textile strands of combustible material surrounding said core, said core consisting of a combustible composition comprising a carbohydrate selected from glucose and saccharose for controlling the combustion rate of said core, camphor as a molding agent and fire retarding agent, an oxidation agent selected from alkali metal nitrates and the remaining portion being guncotton.

3. A votive candle adapted to be disposed in a receptacle comprising a body of Wax, a wick extending through said body and a sheetlike base secured to one end of said wick and applied against the bottom face of said candle body, said base consisting of a combustible composition comprising 1 to 20% of glucose, 5 to 40% of camphor, 1 to 15% of an alkali metal nitrate, and the remaining portion being gunootton, the percentages being by weight.

4. A votive candle adapted to be disposed in a receptacle comprising a body of wax, a wick extending through said body and a sheetlike base secured to one end of said wick and applied against the bottom face of the candle body, said base consisting of a combustible composition including cellulose hexanitrate and a combustion retardant, the combustion rate of said composition being higher than that of said body of wax, but such that said composition will burn only when exposed to atmosphere.

5. A votive candle adapted to be disposed in a receptacle comprising a body of wax, a Wick extending through said body and a sheetlike base secured to one end of said wick and applied against the bottom face of said candle body, said base consisting of a combustible composition including camphor as a molding agent and combustion retardant, an alkali metal nitrate as an oxidation agent, and cellulose hexanitrate, the combustion rate of said composition being higher than that of the body of wax, but such that said composition will burn only when exposed to atmosphere.

6. A votive candle adapted to be disposed in a receptacle comprising a body of wax, a wick extending through said body and a sheetlike base secured to one end of said Wick and applied against the bottom face of said candle body, said base consisting of a combustible composition constituted of 5 to 40% by weight of camphor, 1 to 15% by weight of an alkali metal nitrate and the remaining part being guncotton.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 652,548 Neustaedter June 26, 1900 1,430,543 Grosvenor et al Oct. 3, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,955 Great Britain of 1910 

1. A WICK FOR CANDLES COMPRISING A CORE AND TEXTILE STRANDS OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL SURROUNDING SAID CORE, SAID CORE CONSISTING OF A COMPOSITION COMPRISING 1% TO 20% OF GLUCOSE, 5% TO 40% OF CAMPHOR, 1% TO 15% OF 